You're a hot mess, Tony Stark
by Who-Wouldn't-Waver-With-You
Summary: Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist, is a hot mess of vices. Womanizing, drinking, over-working and surviving only with above-and-beyond help of his long-suffering PA, Pepper Potts. When will he realise how much help he needs... And how much he needs Pepper's help in particular? Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**First story for Iron Man. First story in YEARS! It hasn't been BETAd and it's been only very lightly edited, I just wanted it up here cause impatience. Hope you enjoy!**

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It had been several months since the infamous press conference, where Tony had announced to the world on a whim that he was, essentially, a superhero. The party invites had quadrupled, he had been interviewed by every major news channel, and interviews had been requested by pretty much every other channel as well. But… well. A man only has so much time.

Tony was tinkering in his workshop, as he had been doing more and more when he wasn't out partying or feeding his own fame. He glanced up at the stylised Iron Man print which had replaced a painting worth almost as much as his condo in New York City and smirked to himself, remembering Pepper's face when he had taken down the painting and thrust it into her hands. His smirk widened when he remembered the young, blonde news anchor he had brought back to his workshop after one particular interview for an "exclusive", and how he had admired the print past the back of her head while he was giving her that "exclusive". Talk about an ego boost.

He looked back at what he was doing and noticed a tremor in his fingers. He blinked tired eyes, tossed aside the piece of wiring he had been working on and stretched. Vaguely he wondered what time it was.

"Dummy. Hey, you. Yes, you, genius. Where are those beers I told you to keep cool?"

The robot turned to him, a bottle already clutched in its claw.

"What, are you kidding me? You've just been holding it this entire time? It's gonna be totally- yeah. Lukewarm. Gross, buddy. Hey, where's that fire extinguisher you get so trigger happy with? I've finally got a use for it."

Tony set down the bottle on his desk and took a big step to the side. Dummy raised his sad head and swung his spare arm into action, holding the fire extinguisher that never seemed to be too far away from him. Tony ducked away a little as a cloud of CO2 engulfed the bottle, scattering papers from the desk.

"Ok, ok, whoa there! That'll do it!" Tony spluttered, waving his arms. He tentatively reached out towards the bottle and, finding it not too cold to touch, he levered the cap off against a drawer handle and took a long swig. He hadn't realised till the beer touched his tongue just how thirsty he was. He gulped and gulped, half on automatic, and when he finally lowered the bottle he had downed almost three quarters already. He belched.

"Ah, that's the stuff. Cool the rest of the case down, would ya? Not too much," he added hastily as Dummy turned, wielding his extinguisher with the purpose of a hitherto terminally benched player who has just been informed that the fate of the season rests upon their shoulders.

Tony walked over to his couch and collapsed.

"Hey JARVIS, where have my tunes gone?"

"You finished them, sir."

"So play the next playlist!"

"You have finished all of the playlists, sir."

"Are you kidding me? How long have I been down here? What time is it? Wait, don't tell me. Ok, find me a mix I'll like."

"What keywords would you like me to search with, sir?"

Tony grinned. "Try 'Iron Man.' And limit results to mixes made by chicks. Preferably adoring chicks."

"There is no way to narrow search results by romantic inclination, sir."

"Alright, just chicks in general then."

"There are several hundred results, sir."

Tony's grin widened. "Cross reference with my library for artists I like."

The dulcet tones of Cage The Elephant burst forth from the extra heavy-bass speakers situated all round Tony's workshop, and he closed his eyes as the boom vibrated through his bones. His head rolled back and he raised the bottle to his lips again, savouring the cool hops on his tongue and the buzz of the alcohol already reaching his blood from his first long pull.

"Hey Dummy, how are those beers coming along?"

The robot approached with the case of freshly chilled beers, and Tony kicked his feet up and settled into the couch.

"Tony…"

There was a girl saying his name. Tony smiled. He liked it when they said his name.

"Tony?"

"Hang on honey, just a little longer…"

"Mr Stark." The voice was suddenly hard.

Tony opened his eyes. Pepper Potts was standing over him.

"Pepper… Hey, I thought you went home?"

"I did go home."

"What?"

"Did you sleep here again?" Her exasperation didn't entirely hide the worry in her voice.

"What? No, I only just closed my eyes. What time is it?"

"It's ten am. There's breakfast upstairs."

She left, glancing back over her shoulder, concern written on her face.

Tony sat up amid the clinking of empty beer bottles. It appeared he had finished the case.

"JARVIS… What time did I go to sleep last night?"

"It's hard to say, sir. You didn't seem particularly conscious from around 4am onwards, but you kept drinking until you ran out of alcohol, which was at approximately half past six."

"Crap…" He stood up and immediately regretted it. He winced and walked across his workshop, staggering slightly, leaning heavily on the glass door to the stairs. The smell of bacon hit him as the door swung open under his weight.

_Thank god for Pepper, _he thought.

It took all of his self-control to divert his course to the kitchen via the shower, but he forced himself to spend a cursory five minutes under the blistering jet of water. Stepping out of the shower he tousled his hair dry and wrapped the white towel around his hips, glaring at his red-rimmed eyes in the mirror. He opened the cabinet and fumbled for eye-drops and aspirin before making his way into the kitchen.

"You know there are clean clothes in your room, right?"

Tony scowled at Pepper, who was leaning on the kitchen bar with a mug of coffee, laughing at his towel.

"Can't a man have breakfast free from judgement in his own home?"

Pepper forced a straight face and gave a "by all means" gesture as Tony sat at the table and served himself sloppily from the delicious spread of bacon, eggs, sausages and blueberry pancakes. He covered everything on his plate with a generous glug of maple syrup and tucked in.

"Whaddya shtanding ova thurr foh'?" Tony asked, his mouth full of syrupy sunny-side ups. "Come siddown."

Pepper hesitated, glancing over her shoulder towards the office.

"Cmawwwn," Tony swallowed. "If you've got time for coffee you can drink it sitting at the table with me. Have you eaten?"

Pepper chuckled. "Yes, actually." But she helped herself to an apple from the fruit bowl as she sat down across from Tony. For a little while they ate together in silence, Tony slurping his food and gulping his coffee while Pepper maintained a poker-face in the face of this spectacle, belying just some of the skill with which she had held her position with Stark Industries for all these years. After a few minutes, however, her calm façade began to show cracks.

"What?" demanded Tony.

"What?" Pepper seemed surprised.

"You were doing the thing. Biting your lips. You do it when something's bugging you. It's usually me." Tony tried for a dash of charm to get himself out of whatever trouble he might be in, but Pepper's smile was fleeting and didn't touch her eyes.

"You… You haven't been getting enough sleep lately."

"I've been working."

"I know, but you're becoming nocturnal. And when you do sleep, more often than not it's in your workshop. It's not healthy."

Tony chewed slowly and swallowed. "Look, Pepper, I know you're just being nice, but you don't have to look after me THAT much. I'm totally fine."

She looked as if she wanted to say something, but just then JARVIS interrupted their conversation.

"Excuse me, Mr Stark, but you asked me to remind you in advance about the casino opening tonight."

"Oh man… Ok, right. Red carpet, etc, etc, right?"

"It would appear that there will indeed be a red carpet at the event, sir, yes."

"Right. Hey, Pepper, do you know if my royal blue suit is clean?"

Pepper nodded.

"Perfect. You comin' tonight?"

"Uh, no. Not tonight, unless you need me there? I was planning on a night in."

"Go ahead, stay in. Have a bath, get a pedicure, watch something romantic. Girls do that stuff, right? I'm sure I can get through one night without a major scandal I need you to spin for me."

Pepper chuckled half-heartedly, "I wouldn't speak too soon…"

"Right," Tony stood up, stretching, "I'm gonna go hit the pool for a couple hours, then probably take a nap. Do whatcha gotta do."

Pepper remained silent but Tony noticed just before he left the room that she had begun to chew her lips again.

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**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Again, not really BETAd or edited all that much.**

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Tony leaned in as the girl – Tonya? Tammy? Tracy? – told him about her postgraduate studies in… something-or-other. He wasn't really paying attention beyond trying to get a better view down the neckline of her purple dress. He had a hand on her thigh already and she was leaning towards him, talking eagerly, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed as he looked at her. Tony knew from experience that he didn't have to listen to what she was saying anymore.

She finished her sentence.

"Wow, that is fascinating. I've literally never thought of it like that before. Excuse me, waiter? Could you get this lady another martini and, what the heck, I'll have one too. Extra dry, and make it dirty."

The waiter nodded and departed and Tony turned back to – Tamara? Tallulah? – with his most dazzling smile.

"Dirty?" She smiled coyly.

"What can I say?" Tony grinned, leaning forward and sliding his hand a little higher up her thigh. "That's how I like 'em."

It was the first time Tony had ended up in his own bed in a fair few nights. As he lay next to the girl – whatever her name was, it didn't matter now – trying to sleep, Tony felt the blissful, post-coital glow drain slowly from his spent body. Instead of sleep, it was replaced by a tension in his limbs and an itching in his palms. He must have sweated out all the alcohol from his system, because he felt almost painfully lucid; everything seemed sharp and hard. He suddenly couldn't get comfortable in the bed. His fists were clenched and he couldn't seem to relax them.

Beside him the girl's breathing was slow and steady. Cursing silently, Tony got up quietly, slipped into sweat pants and a tank top and slipped out of his bedroom. He swung by the kitchen on his way to his workshop, grabbing the bottle of scotch some guest had brought to one of his house parties a couple of weeks previously.

Sitting in his workshop with his music blaring (the soundproofing had been worth every penny) he uncorked the bottle and took an experimental sniff. Not bad. He tipped a mouthful down his throat, enjoying the burn, and set the bottle down beside him as he picked up a circuit board he had been working on earlier. He felt the tension begin to leave his body as he worked, sipping from the bottle as he tinkered away contentedly.

He awoke to a hand on his shoulder, shaking him insistently. He raised his head, the circuit-board peeling off his face as he did so, leaving a bizarre impression on his right cheek.

"Tony!" Pepper's face was contorted with anxiety. "Tony, are you ok?"

"What? Yes. No."

Pepper handed him a bottle of cold water. "Was that full last night?"

Tony followed her gesture to the bottle of whisky which was lying on its side by his elbow, only a trickle of the golden liquor left. The sight of it made Tony's stomach clench.

"Mmph." He raised the water to his lips and began to gulp greedily.

"Not so fast, you're going to make yourself sick. I'm going to go run you a bath, SIP that."

She ran upstairs and Tony kept gulping the water. He knew before he had swallowed the last mouthful that Pepper had been right. He felt the blood drain from his face as his stomach clenched harder. He stood unsteadily and stumbled to the wastepaper basket next to the door, falling to his knees beside it and retching heavily. The entire bottle of water came back up, and he hunched, coughing and gasping, over the trash can for a full minute before he was sure he could safely stand back up.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and felt cold sweat on his face. He became aware that his tank top was damp and sticking to his back unpleasantly.

"JARVIS… Get Dummy to deal with that." He gestured vaguely towards the trashcan, trying not to look at it.

"Very good, sir."

Tony suddenly felt freezing cold. He remembered Pepper talking about a bath. _A nice, hot bath_. He staggered up the stairs and followed the sound of running water to the bathroom. Pepper was nowhere to be seen. Tony stripped and climbed, shivering, into the still-filling bath, curling up among the suds of bubble bath Pepper had added to the water. He closed his eyes and waited for the shaking to stop, and the water to warm his cold bones.

A few minutes later he heard a vague movement from the room, but couldn't bring himself to open his eyes. There was a rustle of fabric, the squeak of a tap and the water stopped running. Then soft footsteps and the sound of a glass being filled from the sink, followed by two soft _plops_ and the sound of fizzing, which grew in volume as the footsteps approached.

"Tony… Hey, you need to drink this."

Tony forced his eyes open a crack. Pepper was crouching beside the bath, a glass of Alka-Seltzer in her hand. She reached out and cupped his jaw with her free hand, raising his face and bringing the glass to his lips.

"Slowly," she murmured. Tony sipped feebly at the Alka-Seltzer, his eyes on Pepper. She had her poker-face on, but he could see the worry in her eyes, mixed with something else. He thought it looked like anger and he hoped he was wrong.

"Can you take this? Don't drink it all in one go. I'll make you something to eat."

"Coffee…" Tony muttered, weakly.

"You need to EAT, Tony."

She stood and disappeared. Tony tried to focus on keeping the glass out of the bathwater, sipping at it occasionally, despite his overwhelming thirst. He had learnt his lesson. Around five minutes later Pepper returned with a mug of hot coffee and a grilled cheese sandwich. Tony reached for the coffee, but she placed it out of his reach at the other end of the tub.

"Food, then coffee." She took the glass from him and handed him the plate instead. He munched quietly, watching Pepper collect his clothes. She had kicked off her heels at some point, and was walking around in her stockings. She left and returned with a fresh bathrobe which she placed on one of the heated towel shelves.

By now Tony had finished the grilled cheese and he the plate clattered on the tiles as he tried to lower it to the floor beside the bath. Pepper turned back to him in time to intercept his attempt for the coffee cup, placing the half-drunk Alka-Seltzer back into his reaching hands instead.

"Finish this first, then you can drink the coffee."

Tony grumbled, but did as he was told. Pepper knelt beside the tub again. She took a facecloth, dipped it in the bathwater and rung it out. She dabbed at his face, with the damp cloth in between sips.

"Finished." Tony proffered the empty glass towards Pepper, who took it with what looked like a genuine smile and passed him his precious coffee.

He sipped at it slowly, and became gradually aware of a nagging something he had forgotten.

"Did what's-her-name leave?" He knew that wasn't it.

Pepper tensed. "Claire? Yes, I saw her out."

_Claire. _That _was it._

"Thanks, Pepper." Tony shifted uncomfortably, and then realised what the nagging something was.

He was naked in the bath. And Pepper was right there. He instinctively cupped himself, despite the bubbles which still just about hid his shame. If this had happened under any other circumstances he would have dealt with the situation in his classic, cocky style, with an innuendo and an invitation, but he was not in a fit state for any of that right now.

"Uh, I think I'm ready to get out now, Pepper."

"Oh, ok..." She straightened up and Tony saw her eyes flash involuntarily towards his cupped hands, now only barely obscured by bubbles. He filed this under "information to enjoy and gloat about later". Pepper fetched a towel and then turned her back. Tony stood and climbed out of the tub, wrapping himself in the towel. Instantly he began to shiver again. He clutched the towel about his shoulders like a child, unable to move to dry himself for fear of letting more cold air touch his aching body. Pepper must have heard his teeth begin to chatter, because she half-glanced over her shoulder and then turned when she ascertained that he was covered.

"Tony… Are you…?"

"I can't. I'm so cold."

Pepper grabbed a second towel and approached him. Gently, she reached up and began to towel his hair and neck dry. Tony bowed his head towards her, eyes closed. When she had finished, she let the second towel drop to the floor, rubbing his shoulders and arms to warm him up. She fetched him the bathrobe and placed it around his shoulders, turning her back again as he shuffled himself out of the towel and into the bathrobe.

"You need to go to bed." Pepper told him firmly. Tony didn't even try to protest. She led him to a spare room (presumably the sheets in his own hadn't yet been changed) and brought him more water.

"What would I do without you?" he murmured faintly as she set it down on the bedside table.

She smiled strangely and touched his cheek for a moment, then switched off the light and left him to rest.

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**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo. New chapter. Enjoy.**

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"Mr Stark, may I remind you that the investor's party began an hour ago."

"I know, JARVIS. You've been reminding me every fifteen minutes for the past four hours." Tony pulled a wire out of the mechanism he was bent over and discarded it.

"But sir, may I remind you that you customarily take half an hour on your hair alone, and that you haven't showered or shaved."

Tony ignored him.

"Miss Potts is waiting for you upstairs."

"Alright, alright," Tony said through the spanner he was holding in his teeth. He spat it out where it clattered onto his desk and rubbed his eyes. Lights were swimming in front of them and his head was pulsing. But then, that had been his constant state for the past few days. He had had three-day hangovers before, but usually he could just blow off any plans he had and just hibernate with a generous helping of hair of the dog until he felt like his usual self again.

_Stupid goddamn investors. So goddamn demanding._ Tony wondered briefly if this was what it felt like to be married. Pepper popped back into his head and he remembered she was waiting for him upstairs. Hauling himself out of his chair, Tony headed to the shower attached to his workshop. He gave himself a cursory five-minute scrub, dried off, shaved quickly and rubbed some product into his towel-dried hair. He ran up to his bedroom to find his grey suit hanging on the outside of the door with a black shirt and dark red tie. Sticking out of the jacket's breast pocket was a note.

_Gone to appease the investors. Get your butt out here and back me up._

_Pepper._

Tony grinned, grabbed the hanger and ducked inside to change.

Tony stepped out of his silver Maserati, tossing the keys to a waiting valet and jogged up the red-carpeted steps and into the event. He was immediately met by a waiter with a tray of champagne glasses. Tony took one with a nod to the man and headed into the room, downing it almost immediately. He glanced around, made dozens of pretty girls, narrowed down the number by age and body type and zeroed in on a blonde in a purple dress without a champagne glass. He commandeered two from a nearby table and made his way over to the young woman.

"I'm pretty sure this belongs to you." He held out the second glass. She smiled, confused, glancing from the glass to Tony.

"Um, thanks," she said, taking it. He clinked his glass against hers and they both drank.

"I'm Tony."

She chuckled. "I know who you are, Mr Stark."

"This is the part where you tell me your name."

"Jennifer."

Tony held out his hand and as she took it he raised it to his mouth and kissed it, his eyes never leaving hers. The girl licked her lips.

_Shit, what did she say her name was?_

"Would you… like to dance?" she asked. Tony smiled.

_Nevermind._

Tony was buzzing. His headache had gone and his eyes were full of the bright lights of the party, the bright colours of the girls' dresses, the glittering champagne bubbles. He was moving from girl to girl, flirting his way across the room, a full glass in one hand while the other performed gentle acts of seduction: a soft touch to the small of a woman's back, a caress of a bare arm, a hand raised to his lips in introduction. He could feel himself getting cocky. He approached a woman whose fair hair loosely tied up, revealing her fabulous neck. He itched to kiss it. His fingers twitched, willing him to place a palm on either side of the woman's waist, blue silk crumpling under rough hands, and pull her back against him.

Some small remaining shred of lucidity told Tony this was not acceptable. She was, after all, mid-conversation with a pair of older men in classy but old-fashioned suits. He sidled up to the woman and ran a finger down the soft skin of the back of her arm. She shivered and turned. Tony started.

"Ah, speak of the devil," said Pepper, taking Tony gently but firmly by the elbow and bringing him to stand beside her, "this is Tony Stark. Mr Stark these are two of your newest investors: Mr Briggs and Mr Lee."

"Gentlemen." Tony shook both their hands and, turning almost imperceptibly towards Pepper he murmured: "You look amazing tonight."

Pepper smiled politely without turning to look at him. "Thank you, Mr Stark." Her tone was reserved, but she had lowered her voice to match his, meaning she had acknowledged their conversation was private. Her hand was still on his elbow.

One of the men asked something and Tony parried, barely engaging his brain, shifting a little closer to Pepper's ear.

"I mean it. The dress…" Tony let the arm she was holding straighten, his fingertips just barely brushing the silk of her dress, and through it, the warm skin of her thigh. He glanced sideways at her; Pepper's mouth was twisted as she chewed the inside of her lip. She leant forwards and away from him to ask one of the men a question and Tony found himself watching the way her neck curved as she talked to them. His blood felt effervescent in his veins as he looked at her. He raised his hand to the small of her back as she spoke to the two investors. She paused for a moment and Tony took the opportunity. He glanced over his shoulder, bringing his lips right to Pepper's ear. "Have I ever told you how good you look in blue?" His mouth brushed her hot skin ever-so-slightly, and her hair moved under his breath.

Tony turned back to the investors. "Will you excuse us, gentlemen?" He began to guide Pepper towards the dance floor, leaving his empty glass with a waiter as they passed.

"Tony, what are you doing?"

"Dance with me, Pepper."

"Oh, no no no…" She stopped in her tracks and Tony turned to face her.

"What can I do? Can I get you more champagne? Come on. What's it gonna take to get you to dance with me again?"

"Well last time you left me on a balcony afterwards, which isn't exactly conducive to repeat performances."

"I'm sorry. I am sorry. Please?"

Pepper sighed, exasperated, took his outstretched hand and walked with him onto the dance floor. Tony placed her hands around his neck and took her waist and they began to sway to the music.

"That was incredibly unprofessional back there."

"What? Oh, those old guys couldn't hear a thing."

"That is totally beside the point."

"Come on, Pepper, I was just paying you a compliment!"

Pepper shot him a look.

_God, she's sexy when she's mad…_

"Thanks for covering my ass tonight."

Pepper's stern expression cracked into an unwilling smile. "What would you do without me?"

"I'd probably spend way too much time in my workshop."

"You do already!" Pepper trailed her fingers through the hair at the nape of Tony's neck, at first absent-mindedly, but a moment later she frowned, amused, and started twirling her fingers through it all over. "Did you do this in the dark? You're normally so particular…"

"Oh yeah, I just did it really quickly. I knew you were waiting."

Pepper smiled, continuing to pet his hair into a shape that satisfied her. Tony watched her as she worked. She was sucking on her lip and her blue eyes were busy and not focussed on him. She had to lean forwards and up to reach the back of his head, and he inched his hands further around her, pulling her in.

"There. Back to your usual, sharp-dressed-man self." Pepper made a final tweak and slid her hands back down to his neck. She looked into his eyes once more and sighed. "It's getting late. We should say goodnight to the investors." She went to pull away but Tony gave her a squeeze.

"Please don't make me talk to them. I want to stay here, talking to you."

Pepper laughed. "Tony, they're your new investors; we have to talk to them."

"I have plenty of investors. Plus, I already have their money, they obviously like the company. I don't need them to like me. Keep dancing with me."

"Tony, my feet are starting to hurt in these heels…"

"Take them off. I don't mind. Here…" He took her hand and led her to a chair, pushed her into it and bent to take off her shoes.

"No, Tony, stop! This is weird. What will people think?"

Tony glanced around. "What people?" The room was close to empty, save for a lot of waiters and a few straggling investors. "God, how do you get these things off…?" He was struggling with the straps on Pepper's Jimmy Choos. She placed a hand over his.

"Alright, alright, let me." Pepper took off her shoes and Tony pulled her back onto the empty dance floor. She looked up at him, shoes dangling from her fingertips against his back, suddenly so much smaller. She had been almost his height in the heels. She yawned and let her forehead drop to his shoulder, mumbling into his collar. "Wow, tonight has really taken it out of me."

Hardly registering what he was doing, Tony stretched his arms around her and began to stroke tiny with his thumbs. The silk moved tantalisingly over her skin, gliding here, clinging there. From this close he could see her freckles and the moles on her neck. Tony licked his lips. His arms encircled her completely now, their bodies pressed together. Her hair brushed his cheek and he was surrounded by the scent of her perfume. He closed his eyes and bowed his face into her, his lips brushing the soft skin behind her ear, and then her neck. He felt her make a sleepy, sighing noise into his chest and his mouth curled into a smile against her skin.

Tony's head was still spinning from all the champagne when he pressed his lips against Pepper's warm, soft neck, letting the kiss linger for several seconds before breaking it. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he felt goose pimples erupted on the skin of her ribs through the silk of her dress. She nuzzled into his neck before lifting her head. Her eyes looked heavy. She looked at him for a long moment.

"Bed."

Tony was confused. His heart rate elevated at the thought.

"You need to go to bed," she said. Tony registered disappointment, but he could still feel his blood buzzing at the thought. He was hyper-aware of everywhere they were still touching, and an image had started to play out inside his mind, an image of a silk dress and silk sheets and silken skin…

"Come on, Mr Life-And-Soul, the party's over." Pepper was smiling, sleepily. She took his hand and led him towards the side door where Tony's emergency escape limo was waiting in case of extreme boredom or the sudden, pressing need to give someone the grand tour of his bedroom. He managed to pull her into the limo with him as she bundled him inside, and by the time they arrived home Tony would have been asleep, but for the blood pounding in his ears at the way Pepper had felt in his arms and the thoughts that were still playing out in his head.

He staggered as he stepped out of the car, and Pepper took his arm. She supported him inside, dropping her heels in the hall and helping him up to his room, where he kicked off his shoes automatically. She deposited him on his bed and looked at him, a hand on each shoulder. Tony blinked hard and stared back at her. Her hair was coming loose and wisps were falling about her shoulders here and there.

"Wow, you are out of it…" Pepper murmured. She leant forwards and began to undo his tie. His bedside light was casting shadows across her collarbones and décolletage. His gaze trickled over her like warm honey, drinking in every freckle. He brought his hand up to hers and held them still for a moment and they locked eyes.

"Thank you."

"It's alri-"

"I mean it. Thank you. I… I really don't know what I'd do without you. Sometimes I think I'd self-destruct."

"You do that pretty well even with me here."

"Ok, true, but you make me want to not." He paused, searching for the right words. "You make me wanna be… better."

Pepper smiled slowly, her face seeming to glow.

_God, she's so beautiful._

He squeezed her hand and then let his own drop back to his side. Pepper finished with his tie and pushed it and his jacket back off his shoulders. She laid them on a chair in the corner and turned back to Tony, sitting slumped on the edge of his bed.

"I brought my overnight bag just in case, and it's only about seven hours till I have to be back here, so I'm going to sleep down the hall in the guest room. I'll see you to-"

"Pepper," Tony interrupted her quietly. "I can't sleep."

"Well you haven't tried yet."

"No, I mean… I can't sleep here when I'm supposed to. I try and try, and I always end up downstairs in my workshop with a project and a drink and the music up loud."

"I can get JARVIS to put some music on for you, if you-"

"Pepper, I can't. I've been trying. You've seen me in the mornings. Would you…" He hesitated. Pepper was looking at him, concerned. "Would you stay in here tonight? Not like… I just don't want to be alone with myself." Pepper had begun to chew on her lip. Tony scrubbed at his face with his hands. "God, I'm sorry. This is… I'm sorry, go- Go to bed. I'll be fine, I'm just being melodramatic." He tried to flash her a smile but he didn't have the energy and he felt it flicker weakly across his face.

"Give me a sec," she said, and disappeared. Tony fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, managed to get it off and slumped sideways onto the bed.

_Idiot_, his brain scolded him. _Stop kidding yourself, she knows better than staying anywhere near you at night. Why else does she always pick the furthest guest room whenever she stays?_

The door squeaked and Pepper came back in, holding her overnight bag.

"I have pyjamas and pepper spray, so don't expect anything," she joked drily.

"You are, honest to god, the most amazing woman I've ever met."

She crossed the room to Tony's en suite and pulled the door half-shut behind her. He heard the swish of fabric and shut his eyes, forcing himself not to try and look. In his mind's eye, however, he saw everything: the shape of Pepper's bare shoulders as she shrugged out of the amazing dress; the moles on her back; the curve of her hips, her ass, her bare legs…

Tony heard the door squeak as she came back in and the bed moved as she tentatively sat. He rolled over to look at her. She was wearing flannel pyjama bottoms and a vest top, with her hair loose around her shoulders. She had taken off her make-up and her freckles were more striking. He wondered why she tried to hide anything so beautiful. They both shuffled under the covers and Tony turned out the light.

"Goodnight, Tony," Pepper whispered. He felt her hand reach out for him in the darkness. He took it and held it against his chest, next to the arc reactor.

"Night, Pepper."

The warmth of her hand was the last thing Tony felt before sleep took him at last.

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**Welp, I hope you liked it! More soon, hopefully. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay, chapter 4 finally!**

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Everything felt fuzzy. Tony felt himself floating towards the surface of sleep, his senses gradually coming into some semblance of focus. He stretched and his arm brushed warm skin in the bed beside him. He smiled, without opening his eyes, and rolled towards the woman lying next to him, snaking an arm around her waist and nuzzling into her neck. Somewhere in his hind brain, Tony's olfactory memory centre began to whir. He was vaguely surprised, confused and not a little disappointed to find she wasn't naked. His hand automatically found the edge of the tank top and slipped underneath to caress the soft skin of her waist. The woman made a little noise in her sleep. The sound coupled with the smell of her perfume came together and the cogs in Tony's brain made an important breakthrough.

He opened his eyes.

_Pepper. You're in bed with Pepper._

How had this happened? Tony racked his brain. He remembered them dancing… He remembered wanting her so badly… He remembered them climbing into his waiting limo…

He leant back a little and looked at her. She had removed her make-up from the night before. That seemed decidedly… Logical. Not the actions of someone in the throes of passion. Plus, she seemed to be wearing pyjamas.

So. They had slept together, they just hadn't _slept_ together.

Pepper sighed in her sleep. Tony propped himself on one elbow and looked at her. Her face was entirely covered with freckles, from her earlobes to her eyelids to her lips.

He realised he still had his hand on her waist, absent-mindedly stroking her with his fingertips. He longed to settle once again into her neck and let himself drift back into oblivion, lost in a haze of Pepper's warmth and perfume.

Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and gently moved a lock of hair from her face. He leant down and pressed a kiss to Pepper's forehead, then slid out of bed. He grabbed a fresh tank and some sweat pants and, with one last glance back at the form of the sleeping woman in his bed, Tony slipped out of the room.

He showered and dressed quickly and walked to the kitchen. He switched on the coffee maker and looked around. He needed fat and salt. Bacon. He knew there was bacon in this room. He opened a cupboard full of plates and bowls. He opened another full of cereal and other dry food.

"JARVIS. Where do we keep the bacon in this place?"

"The perishables are kept in the fridge, sir."

Tony opened the fridge and rummaged till he found the bacon. He found a pan and set it on the stove, pausing to glare at the dials on the front of the oven.

"JARVIS… JARVIS, turn that on, would ya?"

"Of course, sir."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Tony remembered something about things sticking to pans, so for good measure he melted a good dollop of butter in the pan before adding a panful of bacon. He burnt a half dozen slices of toast in the toaster and his fingers while attempting to fish the bacon out of the half inch of bubbling fat.

"Ow, goddamnit!"

"You know there are utensils for that."

Tony looked round. Through the haze of smoke in the air, he saw Pepper leaning in the doorway still in her pyjamas.

"Feel free to tag in anytime. I'm dying here."

Smiling, Pepper pushed herself off the door frame and walked over to Tony. She took a fork from a drawer and, squeezing next to him she manoeuvred the bacon out of the pan. Tony took a small step back and watched her work.

"Did you… Did you grease the pan?" she asked.

"Yes…?"

"Aw, Tony, no…" Pepper set down the empty pan and turned to him. She took his right hand and examined the burns on his fingers. He followed her gaze. "For a genius you really are an idiot sometimes."

"I need you." Tony felt the words come out without the intervention of his brain. His hand curled around Pepper's.

Pepper stared at him, her face blank with surprise. "Wh- what?"

Tony squeezed her hand tightly and looked up at her. "I need you." They stood in silence for a moment, and then he shrugged and broke eye contact. "I mean, I can't cook, so..."

He made as if to move away, but Pepper was still holding his hand tightly. She pressed it against her chest and Tony turned back to face her. Slowly he flattened his fingers out under Pepper's hands. He could feel her heartbeat and his breath hitched in his throat as he saw her eyes flicker down to his mouth. He took a small step towards her, tilting his face down as she looked up at him. Their lips were inches apart…

Tony became aware of an acrid smell. There was a small _whoosh_ing sound, and Pepper let out a cry. The pan of grease had been left haphazardly off-centre over the gas and the flames had just licked their way up the side and caught on the fat. Tony looked dispassionately at the pan fire without moving. His head was still full of Pepper's lips and the feel of her heart beating through the soft curve of her bare décolletage. He could still feel the warmth of her skin under his fingertips…

Pepper, meanwhile, had sprung into action. She grabbed the pan's lid from its hook above the stove and clamped it down over the pan, sealing off the oxygen intake. The fire sputtered and died. Standing just behind her, Tony couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Her hair, pulled back in a loose ponytail, still hung in loose curls from the party, tangled and messy from sleep. In the heat of the -kitchen, Tony could see the hair that had escaped clinging to her neck. God, he wanted to taste her. To take her in his arms and press his mouth against the hinge of her jaw, his hands roaming her waist, her stomach, her hips, the hem of her pyjamas… He felt almost dizzy at the thought.

Pepper turned to face him and he blinked hard. She leant against the counter and looked at Tony dryly.

"Are you still keeping track of the number of times I've saved your ass?"

"I think I lost count the day you came to work for me."

Pepper picked up the plate of bacon and patted Tony's cheek, shaking her head as she walked to the table.

"See if you can grab the coffee without scalding yourself," she called over her shoulder, "and get the orange juice while you're at it."

He placed them on the table alongside the bacon and toast Pepper had set out. They talked easily and comfortably as they ate the salvaged breakfast. It seemed like the pan fire had broken the tension of their almost-moment earlier, but Tony couldn't shake the memory of the heat of her body, the dark look in her eyes, the mirrored shapes of freckled collarbones and freckled lips as Pepper had leant up towards him.

"Right." Pepper set down her fork. "I'm gonna have a shower. Is it safe to leave you to load the dishwasher, or…?"

"I can do it!"

"…Ok, I'll load it when I'm done."

"No, it's alright. I'll get Dummy to take care of it."

"Can I use your en suite? I left my bag in there last night."

"Mi casa, su casa, Pep. You know that."

Pepper smiled and left the room.

"Pepper? Can I come in? I just need to get my watch." Tony knocked on his bedroom door. There was no response, and he could hear the shower running, so he slipped inside. The door to his en suite was closed, and Tony walked to his bedside table. He sat on the edge of his bed and fiddled with the watch strap. This was a new watch and it had a really tricky clasp that he hadn't mastered one-handed yet.

As he struggled he became very aware of the sounds of the shower. He could hear the irregular splashing noises of Pepper moving under the stream. He found himself thinking about hot water hitting her bare body and sluicing down over her curves. He wondered how far her freckles extended under her clothes. He imagined soap suds covering that smooth skin, her wet hair clinging to her neck and shoulders…

He fumbled the watch and it slipped off his wrist and hit the carpet at his feet, snapping his attention back to the room he was in. He cursed under his breath and knelt to pick it back up. As he rose, Tony felt strangely dizzy, like one of his senses had just stopped working. He shook his head and renewed the battle against his watch clasp. Suddenly he looked round as he heard the bathroom door open.

The shower had stopped. That's what it was.

"Oh, Tony! Sorry, I thought you were in your shop…"

Tony tried not to stare. Pepper was still dripping from the shower, wrapped only in Tony's plum-coloured silk bathrobe. The slick fabric was clinging to her damp body as she towel-dried her hair, which looked redder than usual when wet. The watch slipped from his fingers again. Tony started, his eyes ripping away from the gooseflesh blooming across Pepper's cleavage.

"Sorry, I just came in for…" Tony snatched his watch off the floor and held it out in explanation. He was trying to look at Pepper and not to look at her at the same time. "Can't get the damn thing on one-handed."

"Come here, let me." Pepper tossed the towel down on Tony's bed. He moved towards her, half-eager, half-reluctant. She took the watch and threaded it over his hand, her hair falling in a damp sheet as she leant forwards. Tony took the opportunity to watch a drop of water trickle down her cheek, her jaw, her neck, along her collarbone and disappear under the edge of the bathrobe. The silk was darkening against Pepper's wet skin, and her body was reacting to chill of the air after her hot shower. Tony's stomach dropped and he swallowed hard, willing himself to let his eyes drop no further.

_*Click.*_

"There you go." Pepper looked up, smiling, but her smile faltered when she saw his expression. Tony blinked and forced a light smile, but Pepper looked confused and unconvinced. She squeezed his hand. "Tony…" she began.

"Thanks. I'll let you finish getting changed."

Pepper let go of his wrist slowly, her fingers gliding across his skin as his hand dropped to his side. He stepped back quickly, almost stumbling in his haste, and turned.

"I'll be in the shop if you need me," he called back over his shoulder as he left the room, closing the door behind it. For a moment he leant there against the wood of the door, his stomach churning.

_What are you doing?_

Tony shook his head and set off in the direction of his workshop to drown this unnerving sensation in music and mechanics.

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**Hope you like!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the wait, guys! Mad shit has been going on in my life. Anyways, here's some hot mess for ya. Enjoy!**

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Tony stumbled ass-first through the swing door of the ladies' restroom, his sixth martini in one hand, laughing into the kiss that was pushing him backwards. He crashed up against the sinks, and her hands were tangling in his hair, inside his suit jacket, roaming down his stomach…

Tony groaned as fingers grazed his crotch. He grabbed her wrist and turned, lifting her to sit on the edge of the sink and pinning her against the mirror. He stepped between her legs, rucking the iridescent purple fabric of her skirt high around her thighs. He let his hands slide down from her shoulders over her breasts and waist. He circled her waist with his martin-holding arm, pulling her body towards him, and slid the other hand up her thigh. His touch was met with a gasp as he slipped a finger around the edge of her underwear. Her lip twitched between Tony's teeth and she moaned as he pushed two fingers slowly, painfully slowly inside her. He curled them repeatedly until she could barely stifle her cries and then withdrew his hand, causing her to shudder at his sudden absence.

He stepped back and leant against the sink beside her as she regained her composure, then took her hands and guided them to his belt. With a flick of blonde hair and a flirty flash of her eyes, she obliged, dropping to her knees before him. Tony sipped his martini, letting the vodka linger on his tongue as his head rolled back against the mirror. He grunted at the feeling of her mouth and the thought of freckled lips.

Suddenly, the door opened just as Tony was pouring the last of his martini down his throat.

"Oh! Uh, sorry…" The woman in the doorway stopped and backed out of the restroom.

"You're welcome to stay!" Tony shouted after her, just before the door swung shut again. "Come on." He grabbed the blonde's hand and pulled her into a cubicle.

Half an hour later, Tony banged out of bathroom, swaying. He slapped the blonde's ass appreciatively as she emerged beside him.

"Call me!" she whispered, pressing a lipstick kiss to his ear.

"Right on," Tony slurred, tactfully avoiding calling her by the name he'd long forgotten. He turned to rejoin the black tie gala he had briefly absented himself from. He couldn't remember who was hosting it – some local bigwig or other – but he appreciated their taste in cocktails. He walked a little unsteadily towards the open bar, but was blocked halfway by a tall, fair young man in an unflatteringly-cut suit.

"Hey. Were you just in the ladies restroom?"

"I'm sorry, I think you have me mistaken for someone else," ony responded. He wiped lipstick off his ear, feigning mild surprise at the sight of it before dismissing it and looking back at the young man. "I am a man. Iron Man, in fact."

"I know who you are, jackass. You were in there with my date, weren't you?"

"Dunno. Describe her to me." Tony zipped up his flies.

The young man's hands were clenched at his sides now. "What the fuck do you think you're playing at? Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Your girlfriend, apparently. You might want to work on that." Tony tried to walk around the man, but was met with a fist to the jaw.

*_Smack._*

Tony's head snapped back.

"…Ow."

"What the _fuck_, dude?!"

"Look, man, I realise you're just transferring anger because you can't keep her happy," Tony patted the kid's arm. "But seriously, you shou-"

*_Smack._*

Tony tasted blood in his mouth. "Ok. Now I'm angry." He slapped the inside of his wrist and realised that he hadn't worn his portable Iron Man suit tonight, because it had messed up the cut of his tux. He cursed internally.

"YOU'RE angry?!" The young man was shaking with rage now. "You're just an asshole!"

Tony's punch connected squarely with thin air about six inches in front of the young man's nose. The kid gave a contemptuous snorted. Tony was thrown off-balance by the momentum of his own missed swing, righting himself with a left-handed uppercut to the man's solar plexus. He doubled over, spluttering, and Tony was just readying himself to gloat when two firm hands landed on his shoulders.

"Sir, we're going to have to ask you to leave."

Tony looked round at the huge bouncers who were flanking him and propelling him quickly through the small crowd that had gathered and towards the nearest exit.

"Woah, woah woah woah there, this is just a misunderstanding…" Tony protested, but they had already reached the door. Tony turned to face the bouncers. "Look, I'm sure we can figure this out. How about I get you both invites to the next gala?"

"Not interested."

"C'mon, guys." Tony attempted to push past the two and back inside, but one of the bouncers shoved him back out of the door. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his invite, waving it in front of the two men. "You can't do this. I'm allowed to be here."

The bigger of the two bouncers took the invite and inspected it for a moment with an expression of deep apathy. He then ripped it into quarters and threw them in Tony's face. Tony took a deep breath and then kicked the bigger bouncer hard in the shin and kneed the other in the crotch, trying to force his way between them.

*_Smack_.*

The big bouncer swung his fist straight into Tony's nose. He stumbled backwards and fell into a pile of trash bags.

"Goodnight, Mr. Stark." The bouncers turned to re-enter the event. "I've been wantin' to do that for years," the big guy muttered to his colleague, who sniggered. The exit door swung closed behind the two men, instantly muffling the music from the gala and plunging Tony into darkness.

Tony's nose throbbed like fire, and his eyes welled up instantly. He clutched at his face, swearing violently, tears and blood soaking his hands. He tried to rise but his head was spinning from the blow. He laid his head back against his black plastic pillow and closed his eyes, gingerly pinching the bridge of his nose and wincing at the pain. The stars exploding in front of his closed eyes gradually dispersed, and he staggered to his feet. Leaning on the wall with one hand, he stumbled towards the street lights at the front of the building.

He reached it and called over one of the valets.

"Sir…?" The young man looked unnerved.

"Stark. Can I get my keys?"

"Uhh, sir, I can't let you drive. I can call you a limo, or…?"

"No, no. Would you go find Pepper? Miss Potts. She should be inside."

The valet nodded and hurried to the door man and they had a conversation in hushed voices.

Tony wiped his face on his sleeve and waited as the young man returned.

"I'm sorry sir, there's nobody with that name on the list."

_Fuck. Pepper's night off._

Tony sagged. He could feel blood dripping onto his collar. The young man in front of him looked extremely distressed.

"Ok… Get me a limo."

The valet ran off and shortly a limo pulled up.

"10880 Malibu Point, please."

"You alright, buddy? You look like you could use a trip to the hospital…"

"Just drive me home, wouldya?"

"You're the boss…"

Tony stumbled inside, grabbed his mark IV suitcase and pulled out the helmet.

"JARVIS…"

The helmet booted up and the retinal scan ran. "Hello, sir. I see you have had an eventful evening…?"

"Can it and tell me if my nose is broken."

"There is a minor fracture on the left-hand side."

"Do I need to go to a hospital?"

"You are almost certainly mildly concussed, and you ought to-"

"JARVIS. I can handle a concussion. I handle them almost every week. Is it gonna screw up my face?"

"It hasn't changed the alignment of your nose, but sir, I really must advise you to seek-"

"Not interested."

Tony ripped the helmet off and tossed it aside. It landed with a clank and rolled away from him. He pulled his bowtie undone and let it fall to the ground it as he began to walk towards the stairs. He shrugged out of jacket and dropped it over the back of the sofa, and unbuttoned his white shirt, bloodstains all over the collar and drips down the front, and discarded it on the first step. He dragged himself up to his room and collapsed into bed, lulled to sleep by the alcohol-dulled rhythmic throbbing in his nose.

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**Super awkward, Tony. Get your shit together. Hope you liked!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Whaddup, guys. I accidentally wrote two chapters in one go, so here is chapter six. Two for the price of one. Bam.**

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"Sir… Sir, Mr. Hogan is calling. Mr Stark… Mr Stark, it seems to be urgent."

Tony groaned and rolled over on the bed. "Put him on."

A hologram screen blinked into life over the bedside table beside him.

"Mr Stark! Mr Stark, are you alive? Where are you? Do you need me to come get you? I can bring the car-"

"Woah, woah there, Happy, calm down. I'm at home."

"What's wrong with your face? Why did you leave without me? I'm your bodyguard, Mr Stark, you can't just-"

"Oh, my bodyguard? Well, some bodyguard. Did you see that kid punch me? Twice? Didn't feel like stepping in? And then when I got hauled off by those massive goons and beaten up in an alley? Way to guard. What time is it?" It was definitely still dark. Tony looked blearily at his watch. "Happy. It's four in the morning. I'm going back to sleep."

He ended the call and rolled over.

"Look, I lost control a little. I had a few drinks. I was merry. My judgement was impaired."

"Are you kidding me? 'Merry'? You vanished on my watch. You got in a fight over a girl and you got yourself kicked out of the party and then you didn't even tell the door guy to fetch me."

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry, jeez!"

Tony was sitting at the breakfast table holding his coffee in two shaky hands as Happy berated him.

"Oh, you're sorry now. What good is that supposed to do me? As if I'm not already enough of a laughing stock."

"What are you talking about?"

"Iron Man's bodyguard? Give me a break. And now I can't even stop the man of steel from getting a black eye. Just fantastic. God, Pepper is never gonna leave me in charge again."

"Oh god, Pepper…"

"Yeah, you know what she's gonna say, don't you? 'I leave you boys alone for _one night_-"

"Wait, where is she?"

"Miss Potts isn't in until twelve, sir," came the ever-ready voice of JARVIS. "It's been in the calendar for a month now."

_Fuck. Pepper. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

"Look, Mr Stark. I don't think you should tell her what happened last night. It'll only stress her out."

"'Stress her out'? C'mon Happy, don't even pretend like she's not the most capable person you've ever met."

"Oh man, yeah, of _course_,but you know what she's like about your image. She'll call a freaking press conference or something."

The idea of not telling Pepper about the night before was surprisingly tempting. Tony was not one to broadcast his escapades or conquests (unless they were particularly worthy of boasting), but neither was he usually one for subtlety. But he remembered Pepper's face, twisted with concern as she stood over him in his workshop, the unreadable expressions which were becoming more and more frequent lately, the way her lips suffered when he stressed her out. Those freckled lips…

Tony felt an unfamiliar twinge in his gut as he remembered the girl in the bathroom the night before. "Yeah, you're probably right," he agreed with Happy. "She has enough to deal with right now."

"God, can you imagine her face if she heard you got into a fistfight over some chick?" Happy chuckled, his face finally softening from the mask of nervous disapproval, a bachelor uncle who must tell off his naughty nephew and has no idea how to go about it.

Tony winced and said nothing. He could imagine it. The twinge in his stomach wrenched nastily.

"Ok, well in the nicest possible way you should probably go clean up before she gets here. I'll get your clothes from last night and leave them in your room and then I'd better get going."

"Thanks, Happy. I'll see you later."

Tony showered, gingerly wiping the dried blood off his aching face. He finished washing and was standing under the hot, powerful stream, letting the water pummel all thought out of his head, when Tony's "Work Hard, Play Hard" playlist faded out to be replaced by JARVIS's voice.

"As you wished to be informed, Miss Potts has just arrived on the premises, sir."

"Thanks, JARVIS." Tony turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. He dried off and dressed, tossing his dirty clothes on the pile Happy had left just inside his bedroom door, and stepped out into the hall. Downstairs, Pepper was standing beside the sofa with her back to him, speaking to someone on the phone.

"Yes… Thursday afternoon sounds good… 12-o-clock? Perfect. This is your first shoot with Mr. Stark, isn't it? …Did you receive my message about his- …Ok, great… Yes, see you on Thursday! Goodbye."

Pepper fiddled with her phone, calling out at the sound of Tony's footsteps on the stairs.

"How was the gala last night?"

"No fun without you."

Pepper turned, smiling, but the smile vanished when she saw him. Her eyes widened.

"Tony, what-" She was speechless.

Tony glanced past Pepper at the big mirror hanging on the wall behind her. His own face looked sheepishly back at him, the bridge of his nose a reddish purple and swollen and a shiner blossoming around his left eye.

Pepper was right in front of him, hesitating, her hands raised as if to touch his face. "What happened? Are you ok?"

"Oh yeah, no I'm fine. I just… had too much to drink and… I misjudged the limo door. It looks worse than it is. I barely even noticed it."

Pepper cupped his cheek tenderly, but Tony couldn't hold her gaze. He coughed and turned away from her hand. "Uh, yeah. I'm gonna grab some coffee and head down to the shop."

"Oh. Don't you want lunch?"

"I had breakfast late. Go ahead without me." He gestured vaguely over his shoulder with the coffee pot as he filled a mug. He walked past her, avoiding her eye, and headed downstairs. Pepper stood, confused, and watched him go.

Tony set his coffee mug on his desk and sat down, cradling his head in his hands. He didn't understand why he felt so sick. It was probably concussion, he told himself. But Pepper's concerned face swam before his eyes and he remembered the weak punch of the young man and the sticky lipgloss the girl had been wearing and his stomach clenched harder.

"Hey JARVIS, give me something heavy."

"Heavier than usual, sir?"

"I just need a beat. Nothing sappy. In fact, nothing with lyrics. Just give me a beat."

A pounding beat kicked in and Tony tried to lose himself in his work.

Tony was in the middle of soldering when the music cut out. He stopped what he was doing and looked up. For a moment he thought he had gone deaf. The silence rang in his ears, setting him off balance. Tony shook himself and turned to face the glass door to the workshop. Pepper was standing in the doorway, one hand on the door frame. From the other, hung something white and red. Tony stared at his blood-stained dress shirt.

"What is this?" In the sudden quiet, her voice rang out although she was speaking very quietly.

Tony didn't reply. She held the shirt a little higher.

"Tony. What is this?"

"I- Uh…" Tony stared at the shirt.

"'Looks worse than it is' my ass. This did not happen the way you told me."

"Pepper…"

"Why did you lie?"

"Happy said you'd worry."

Pepper snorted, a sound of impatience; derision. "Tony. Do you really think a single second passes when I'm not worried about you?" Her voice was still low, but there was a hard quality to it now.

Tony opened his mouth but remained silent, his eyes still fixed on the shirt.

"What happened? What _really _happened?"

"I uhh… I got kicked out. Hard."

"Why." It wasn't a question. It was an order to explain himself.

"I was pretty wasted…"

"That's not the reason."

"I got in a fight." Even without looking at her, Tony could see Pepper's eyebrows shoot up. He floundered. "This guy, he picked a fight with me, I didn't-"

"Oh god, Tony, what did you do?"

"Nothing! Nothing…" Tony swallowed. "…His girlfriend. Maybe. I guess. I didn't know she-" Tony broke off.

Pepper's arm holding the shirt had dropped to her side. Tony swallowed again, hard, and forced himself to look at her. He saw her eyes flash for a second before she smoothed her expression into cold neutrality.

"Did you go to the hospital?" Totally devoid of emotion.

Tony shook his head.

"Do you need to?"

Another shake. Tony's mouth felt dry.

"I'm clearing your schedule for the next few days. You need to recuperate. No alcohol. You're probably concussed."

"Pepper-"

"I'll have this dry cleaned and pressed. I'm glad you weren't… more severely injured."

Tony opened his mouth, but she had already turned and walked out of the workshop. The door swung closed and Tony watched her through the glass as she walked back up the stairs, her back very straight and the shirt balled in her hand.

_Fuck_.

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**Aw, Tony, no... More soon, promise!**

**PS, In case you want it here is my writing inspiration soundtrack (not my creation, all credit to KuriKuri for the compilation and respective artists for the music).**


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